How We’re Different

We believe that HEALTH is the missing piece of global conservation strategy. Tremendous efforts have been made to protect critical habitat and reduce wildlife trade and poaching. If we don’t also make sure that the species we are protecting are healthy, then these efforts will not succeed.

VIEW is the only conservation organization focused solely on the urgent need to address health threats as part of a comprehensive strategy for protecting endangered wildlife.

An Emerging Threat to Endangered Wildlife

The field of wildlife conservation has been around for decades with great strides being made by a variety of national and international agencies and non-governmental organizations in the areas of habitat loss and poaching. The awareness of the serious nature of infectious diseases transmitted across species is increasing as threats make their way into book plots, movies, and international news almost daily. Numerous conservation efforts with endangered species have demonstrated the potential impact of disease to limit recovery of wildlife. Examples include canine distemper in black-footed ferrets and African wild dogs and white-nose syndrome in North American bats. In addition, recent reports from Russia have documented the first cases of canine distemper infection in wild, free-ranging Siberian tigers and epidemics of canine distemper have been reported in wild African lions and captive tigers. So, even as significant efforts are being made to protect endangered animals, infectious and transmissible disease, when not identified, treated, and prevented, can do untold harm to a fragile population whether in the wild, captivity, conservation corridors, or protected areas.

Awareness is Not Enough

Simple awareness of this issue is not enough, we need to understand the origins and implications of disease. Infectious and transmissible disease must be identified, treated, and prevented. Failure to do so may cause untold, yet preventable, harm to wildlife populations, domestic animals, and humans.

VIEW’s mission is to protect endangered wildlife by tackling the health threats they face in their native habitats.

Our Vision

VIEW envisions a world where all countries have the commitment and local capacity to support wildlife health as a cornerstone of conservation.